Temperature sensors can be used in a wide variety of applications. Typically electronic devices are temperature sensitive and require temperature information in order to be able to protect the device from extreme temperatures. For example, the device may use the temperature information to control the speed of a fan. In other devices, the temperature information may be used to shut down the device when a predetermined temperature is reached or exceeded. The wide range of requirements for devices has led to the development of many different temperature sensors.
Some temperature sensors can be integrated into a larger micro-electronic circuit sometimes referred to as a “system on a chip” or SOC. Other temperature sensors can be in stand alone devices that are provided in small packages with very few pins. The present disclosure offers a significant advantage for temperature sensors in small device packages, where limited pins are available for use.